On Fri, Feb 27, 2004 at 04:15:20PM -0000, Robin Imrie wrote:
> Dear Sir/Madam,
>
> We are about to start developing some software which will run on Linux. The
> product which we sell to our customers will include the hardware, os (Linux)
> and our software all pre-installed and ready to go. Any support would be
> handled by us. If we were to install the parts of Debian Linux that we
> required for our product what would the licensing issues be if any. i.e.
> would we have to by a copy of Debian Linux for each unit we ship?
Debian GNU/Linux is free - it's impossible to buy a copy (you can only
buy CDs at various distributors if you don't want to download Deian
GNU/Linux from the Internet).
You can use, copy and redistribute Debian GNU/Linux as often as you
want.
The only restiction is that several programs inside Debian GNU/Linux
(including the Linux kernel) require that if you ship binaries for these
programs, you have to give the people you give/sell the binaries the
complete source code of the program including the right to modify
and/or redistribute this software. Note that this only affects these
programs, it doesn't affect your own applications.
The only exception of the above are some programs in the non-free part
of the Debian ftp archive that e.g. don't allow redistribution.
> Regards
>
> Robin Imrie
cu
Adrian
--
"Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
"Only a promise," Lao Er said.
Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed